DNS Probe Finished No Internet with Orbi RBK753

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DEJohns wrote:

Does the router assign the IP address or the modem? Since I can coonct to the router, I assume it passes the DNS settings to the modem, correct?  So should I be looking to the modem for resolution? Is this problem centered on the Orbi router? If so, how can I resove it.

I have already reset both the FiOS modem and the Orbi Roter to factory settings. The radio in the PC checks out fine and I've attempted connecting using 3 different USB wireless adapters in my PC. I need help. Any guidance you can provide would be sincerely appreciated.

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First some explanation:

Orbi systems use DHCP to learn their public IP address, the IP of their internet gateway, and the IP of DNS servers.  The user can configure the Orbi to use other DNS servers (optional.  I personally switch between Googled, OpenDNS, and my ISP DNS servers from time-to-time.  I do not see much difference, but others post about which they believe to be superior for one reason or another.)

When the Orbi is configured as a router (the default, "Factory Reset" configuration), the Orbi acts as a DNS relay.  When devices use DHCP to request network information, the Orbi gives them an IP address (either from the IP reservation table or from the DHCP "pool"), says the gateway is the Orbi IP address, and gives the Orbi IP as the DNS server.  That way, the Orbi can cache DNS requests and respond immediately rather than send every query to the internet.  This is the default behavior of all residential routers.

Individual devices can be configured to have a static IP address or to use DHCP.  If they use DHCP, they can almost always be configured to use different DNS servers than the Orbi.  (I do this on one PC because I have a pi-hole DNS server which blocks ads and my computer uses it for DNS.  I leave the wife's computer alone.)

The questions:

"Does the router assign the IP address or the modem?" The Router.

"Since I can connect to the router, I assume it passes the DNS settings to the modem"  No. The router receives DNS settings from the ISP DHCP server and can use them or ignore them depending on configuration.

"It looks as if there is some limit to the number of devices the router will accept and service"

If the DHCP pool is set up as usual, it has space for over 200 devices.  There should be no issue having 30-40.

New Questions:

I am confused by two details: (a) these are Lenovo X Carbon models - which I suspect are laptops that have built-in WiFi, and (b) "using 3 different USB wireless adapters in my PC".  Is this a matter of desperation?  Obviously the wife's identical laptop works.  USB WiFi adapters sometimes have driver issues with Windows 10.  I would concentrate on the Lenovo WiFi.

That static IP address.  It was not part of the DHCP pool, correct?

Random Thoughts:

I have found the Orbi "app" to be not very useful.  There seem to be constant posts about Device Manager not showing devices correctlly.  I one time discovered that a device had been "paused" and Access Control turned on when I swear I never did anything of the sort.  If a device is paused and has been set to use a remote DNS, it will fail every time.

Sorry to ramble on.  It's election day and I removed power from the TV.